Fresh clashes erupt in different parts of South Sudan

Fresh clashes erupted between government troops and opposition fighters in Renk and Mundri Counties and on the outskirts of Wau town, several local officials said.

Renk County Commissioner Chan Aloung told Radio Tamazuj yesterday that the SPLA-IO forces attacked Shamedi area in the east of Renk County, but their forces repulsed the attackers, claiming they killed about five opposition soldiers.

He said yesterday. “The armed opposition forces attacked us yesterday, but we repulsed them, and there were no casualties from our outside,” said Aloung.

Elsewhere in Mundri County, the county commissioner said that the armed opposition forces attacked Kadiba area on Sunday, but they were repulsed, claiming they killed several rebel forces.

He said yesterday. “Yesterday around 12:00 pm, the armed opposition forces attacked the headquarters of the county in Kadiba area,” said the commissioner.

The local official accused the armed opposition faction of trying to disrupt development and reject peace in South Sudan.

In Wau, the SPLA-IO faction allied to former first vice president and rebel leader Riek Machar in Western Bahr al Ghazal claimed that they captured Busseri area from the government forces.

Nicola Gabriel Adam, spokesperson for the SPLA-IO in Western Bahr el Ghazal said that they defeated the government forces and captured the area.

Meanwhile, the governor of Wau State Andrea Mayar declined to comment on the opposition’s claims in the area.

For his part, Santo Domij, deputy spokesperson for the SPLA forces in Juba, downplayed the reported clashes with the armed opposition in different parts of the country.

He confirmed minor clashes between with the SPLA-IO forces near Renk, saying there were no casualties from their side. The deputy spokesman claimed that the clashes that erupted in Kadiba were among the SPLA-IO soldiers after some of them decided to defect to the government.